Re: [OPE-L] an ad hominem response

From: michael a. lebowitz (mlebowit@SFU.CA)
Date: Sun Apr 16 2006 - 14:49:19 EDT


Hi Jerry,
         No, I definitely meant 'ad hominem' in the sense of
persuasion (and not rhetoric in the sense of contemporary lists on
marxism). That said, on one list which I follow--despite the vast
amount of noise, there are real gems which I cherry-pick from the archive.
         Back to my not-so-whimsical question--- do we need more
abstract theory or more attempts at persuading and developing a new
common sense these days?
         in solidarity,
         michael

At 11:21 16/04/2006, you wrote:
> > ps. do we need more logic or more ad hominem arguments these days?
>
>Mike L,
>
>Revolutionary change is not brought about by logic alone.
>
>But, if it's ad hominem arguments that you want (in the _contemporary_
>meaning of the expression) then you have no further need to look beyond
>other Internet lists devoted to the discussion of 'marxism'.  (We don't
>need to mention names here, do we?) It is unclear to me, though, why
>_anyone_ would be attracted to marxism after viewing those discussions.
>Indeed, I suspect that quite the reverse occurs.
>
>In solidarity, Jerry

Michael A. Lebowitz
Professor Emeritus
Economics Department
Simon Fraser University
Burnaby, B.C., Canada V5A 1S6

Currently based in Venezuela. Can be reached at
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